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Author
Topic: Curascipt does it again. (Read 17826 times)

I've been forced like many to buy my meds from Curascipt by my insurance company. Four phone call this week to them to get my refills. Each time I was given a delivery date and low and behold nothing shows up at my door.

I've been on the phone with them for 1 hour and 15 minutes. On hold now waiting to speak to a supervisor. Grrr...

Usually things go pretty smooth but I have had a few problems in the past. This time it's unreal.

Their behavior in my opinion borders on neglect. Just needed to vent.

I hope my new Obamacare policy in January gives me better options but I'm not counting on it as it will still be the same insurance company. (Anthem)

The problem seems to be that Anthem used to allow a 90 day supply but now only allows a 30 supply. I'm thinking that Not sure why Curascipt is having so much trouble with this.

Tick tock tick tock.

OK. Just hung up after speaking to a supervisor after 1 hour 50 minutes. Still no guarantee. I'm currently off my high blood pressure med due to an allergic reaction so if I have a heart attack tonight I hope you will all remember the good times we've had. lol.

I have to get my meds through Curascript. Have had issues a couple times. I usually keep about 15 days hidden as a safety margin. Last time, no meds, no meds, and was down to four days before the refill.

I've had good and bad experiences with mail order subscriptions. I currently receive my through CVS Caremark and am totally happy. I used to receive them through Pharmacare and it was guaranteed that I would need to call them every single month. They never once got it right.

Next month same nightmare. Called on Monday for my refills. Was told it would arrive Friday.

I asked when they would have a tracking number and she said to call Thursday. I called, No Tracking number. "Call again Friday morning" she said. I did. No tracking number. "Call again after 1PM" she said. I did. No tracking number. I'm on hold now for 45 minutes and counting waiting to find out what's up.

Accredo (which merged with Curascript) is horrible. You would think putting peoples lives at risk by their neglect should concern them but what do I know?

So, they called me back and now tell me that Anthem will not cover it until Monday. 4 days prior to the 30 day mark from my last refill. Really?

Not sure if it was BS or not. If that's the case I doubt I will be receiving my meds on time next month (or maybe even this month) since it took the 4 days and a call from me for them to even contact Anthem in the first place.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

CRIMINAL negligence would be closer to the mark. I can't believe these companies get away with putting people's health/lives at risk like this. How can it be even remotely legal?

I believe NY has a law that prevents insurance companies from forcing their customers to deal with mail order pharmacies. It should be a national law. Where is the outrage from anyone in our government? Talk about having no freedom of choice. I haven't heard any revolt from the so called freedom loving Tea Party.

I'm not sure if a complaint to the state insurance commissioner would help?

I believe NY has a law that prevents insurance companies from forcing their customers to deal with mail order pharmacies. It should be a national law.

I think California has a law like that too - or at least I remember reading something recently about it, but it may be that it was proposed and still in the works? And yes, it absolutely should be national law.

I'm not sure if a complaint to the state insurance commissioner would help?

It certainly couldn't hurt and it just may help. Like I always told my daughter - if you don't ask, you don't get and the worst they can do is say NO (or we can't do anything or whatever negative response).

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

I think California has a law like that too - or at least I remember reading something recently about it, but it may be that it was proposed and still in the works? And yes, it absolutely should be national law.

Yes, I think it might be in the works in California. Just the threat of bringing this into the courts made the insurance companies back off... for now.

It certainly couldn't hurt and it just may help. Like I always told my daughter - if you don't ask, you don't get and the worst they can do is say NO (or we can't do anything or whatever negative response).

Since moving to Florida four months ago my wife and I also have to use Curascript. Between switching insurance carriers, and Curascripts taking a snails pace to get us our prescriptions we went 3 months without any meds. She stayed undetectable through it all and my viral load went up to 145, which I consider undetectable.

What frightens me most is what happens if I ever have to get on BP/heart medication? When we were in Boston we had a $200 credit due to medication mixups and what not, this has magically disappeared. And yes, I did try to recover those funds while in Boston to no avail.

Since moving to Florida four months ago my wife and I also have to use Curascript. Between switching insurance carriers, and Curascripts taking a snails pace to get us our prescriptions we went 3 months without any meds. She stayed undetectable through it all and my viral load went up to 145, which I consider undetectable.

What frightens me most is what happens if I ever have to get on BP/heart medication? When we were in Boston we had a $200 credit due to medication mixups and what not, this has magically disappeared. And yes, I did try to recover those funds while in Boston to no avail.

I just had another 30 minutes on the phone with Accredo. The supervisor had to admit that I had been lied to several times. I am hoping my meds will arrive tomorrow "as promised" but won't hold my breath.

So then I called the state insurance commissioner's office. As it turns out, we have a state law that prohibits insurance companies from forcing me to buy my meds through a mail order pharmacy. Statute 38a-510. I didn't know this until now and am equally amazed that my ID and PC docs apparently don't know either.

My new ACA plan starts in January (still Anthem) so I will be calling them and citing the statute.

Saga continues. 2 hours yesterday on the phone and 2 hours today. Still not resolved.

Are these people real?

Funny (NOT) that the woman that I spoke with from Anthem didn't know the Connecticut law either regarding the fact that they cannot require me to use a mail order pharmacy. She had to file an appeal. What? I gave her the state statute and said that the state insurance commissioner would be happy to follow through after a complaint was filed. She wrote the statute # down in the "appeal".

I think Accredo has a printed list of excuses and blame for every occasion. No doubt the insurance companies do as well.

BTW- I spoke to the local CVS pharmacist today about the law. I said that I'd much rather just get my meds through you. (I know they have their own mail order business as well but was talkin' local retail pharmacy here) She didn't even know the law. One would think that a $30,000 loss in business from ONE person alone would want them to keep a customer. The whole thing just blows my mind.

When I changed meds in March I got the first months supply through them. When it came time to refill CVS said that Anthem would not cover it because they required me to go though the mail order pharmacy. WTF? Against state law!

I'm glad to have discovered this on my own but wouldn't you think they would want their piece of the pie?

I'm coming into this conversation late but is there a small independent pharmacy near you where the pharmacist is also the owner? When I lived in Philadelphia my local pharmacies had the laws and they would also deliver for no fee. They were glad to get my $3000 a month in business.

The employees at CVS and Walgreens are just that employes. Their job is to fill as many prescriptions as fast as they can.

I'm coming into this conversation late but is there a small independent pharmacy near you where the pharmacist is also the owner? When I lived in Philadelphia my local pharmacies had the laws and they would also deliver for no fee. They were glad to get my $3000 a month in business.

The employees at CVS and Walgreens are just that employes. Their job is to fill as many prescriptions as fast as they can.

Yes there is but on the rare occasion that I have used them they seem slow and out of touch.

I know they are "just clerks" at CVS/Walgreens. As a business owner I would be appalled if an employee of mine kissed a $30,000. customer goodbye in this fashion. Just sayin'.

Quite frankly I am a bit MORE miffed that my ID doc doesn't seem to know the law. I'm sure many of his patients have to jump through these hoops needlessly. I will be talking to him about this on my next visit.

Edited to add: Had I won the lottery I would have hired an airplane to fly across the state to make everyone aware of our law...

I just want to add that Accredo (which is what they are now calling CuraScript after it changed from ExpressScript after Anthem made me change from Walgreens) has been ridiculous to deal with for me too. I take Edurant and Epzicom, same renewal dates on scripts, same doctor. Somehow they end up at 2 different facilities, and I can renew one but not the other, and my doctor has to call to "confirm" the other. When you mention them to the Doctor's office staff they just roll their eyes, my PA said sometimes they have to re-order the scripts 4 times from them for no apparent reason. For some reason, they told me I was still taking Reyataz (not renewed, but orderable) not Edurant (renewed, not orderable). I had the best laugh when the IGNORANT operator said "perhaps your doctor wants you to take the Reyataz instead of the Edurant" when we had just gone through a huge consultation about making the change from a regimin including Reyataz for 8 years to Edurant. Then, get this, they ask if they can switch me to a pharmacist to advise me about any of my drugs!!

I had a lot of trouble with Curascript the first time I use them but since then it's been smooth sailing, I went from 90 day refills to 30 day refills, which means I have to deal with them more frequently but it really is just business as usual. They call me at the 3 week mark and always ask me "How much do you have on hand" to which I reply " oh gosh maybe 1 or 2?" and they rush my meds to me. In reality I have a 6 week stockpile at the moment

I'm sorry you're having so much trouble Mitch and I agree we should be able to go to a local pharmacy, but I'm glad you figured out you can if you want to.

I had a lot of trouble with Curascript the first time I use them but since then it's been smooth sailing, I went from 90 day refills to 30 day refills, which means I have to deal with them more frequently but it really is just business as usual. They call me at the 3 week mark and always ask me "How much do you have on hand" to which I reply " oh gosh maybe 1 or 2?" and they rush my meds to me. In reality I have a 6 week stockpile at the moment

I'm sorry you're having so much trouble Mitch and I agree we should be able to go to a local pharmacy, but I'm glad you figured out you can if you want to.

I have been dealing with Curacsript for about 3 years. I've had a few problems along the way but nothing like the problems of the past 2 months after they were bought by Accredo. I'm not sure who you are dealing with now. Maybe the after affects of the merger are not complete yet and you still are working with the Curascript folks. 7 hours on the phone over 2 months is beyond my capacity to understand. Hope things keep going well for you Trey!

And sfpvguy, I know how you feel. I wish you well with future orders but after seeing how they operate I'm afraid it might take a long time before they even reach a mediocre level of competence.

I received a letter from Anthem Saturday. The are denying my grievance about requiring me to buy my meds from a mail order company even though the CT state statute clearly states that they cannot do this.

Spoke once again today to someone at the state insurance commissioner's office. She said they can't do that and to file a complaint. How fun is this?

Complaint filed this morning. She said it should be taken care of within 14 days. Guess I will have to struggle with Acreedo again this month. UGH!!!

The statute is so simple and clear. It seems like Anthem is making me jump through hoops even though they know they have no legal standing. How a person can knowingly do this to people for a living boggles my mind.

btw- Anthem is also screwing around with me on my new ACA policy. First they said my policy didn't start until Feb. 1st. WUT? Then they canceled my ACA policy instead of my old policy! Still waiting to get this straightened out and have never received a copy of the policy or an insurance card. UGH!!!

I need prescriptions filled and blood work done THIS WEEK. What a mess.

So, after yet another 2 1/2 hours on the phone with Anthem my new ACA policy is still not in affect. Funny (NOT) how difficult it is for them to cancel my old policy and the ACA policy can't become usable until this happens. Idiots.

Will have to wait once again after trying to straighten out the mess they made out of something that should be so simple. Ugh!!!

At least when it does get fixed I found out that Express Scripts is where I need to order my meds until the Insurance Commissioner slaps Anthem with the reality of CT law. (no Acreedo, yay.)

Sorry, needed to vent. Spent well over 20 hours on the phone with Anthem, CADAP, Acreedo, and the insurance commissioners office in the past 8 weeks. It's no wonder my migraines this week have peaked.

vent away. After reading about everyone's experiences with mail order pharmacies I've been adamant to do everything I can to avoid them.

Thanks bugs. Avoid them like the plague. For those who are happy with their current mail order pharmacy I would kindly submit that your insurance company can snap their fingers at any moment and force you to use a nightmare company like Acreedo. Trust me. You really, really don't want to go there.

Can't really blame the private market when the information they are receiving is largely corrupted and the ACA is continually changed in reaction to the latest bad news. To date there have been 14 of those, but whose keeping count. ACA is a rolling disaster that will only get worse.

Can't really blame the private market when the information they are receiving is largely corrupted and the ACA is continually changed in reaction to the latest bad news. To date there have been 14 of those, but whose keeping count. ACA is a rolling disaster that will only get worse.

Naw, the exact same thing happened when Bush's Medicare Part D rolled out. Everything eventually settled down. Or were you around then?

There really is a huge difference between Bush's prescription drug giveaway and Obama's ACA, neither of which frankly the nation can afford. In the the case of the former you can always borrow more from the Chinese or here recently the fed and the market will find a way to address supply. In the case of the latter, basic economics teaches that you cannot increase demand and at the same time lower costs. That's just basic math....or did you not take that class?

The lies, stupidity, and lack of empathy, coming from Acreedo and the audacity of Anthem to deny my ability (against CT law) to buy my meds from a reliable source as well as getting a policy enforced that I already paid for has made me numb.

Not sure what tomorrow will bring... or the day after......or the day after that.

There really is a huge difference between Bush's prescription drug giveaway and Obama's ACA, neither of which frankly the nation can afford. In the the case of the former you can always borrow more from the Chinese or here recently the fed and the market will find a way to address supply. In the case of the latter, basic economics teaches that you cannot increase demand and at the same time lower costs. That's just basic math....or did you not take that class?

The lies, stupidity, and lack of empathy, coming from Acreedo and the audacity of Anthem to deny my ability (against CT law) to buy my meds from a reliable source as well as getting a policy enforced that I already paid for has made me numb.

Not sure what tomorrow will bring... or the day after......or the day after that.

I've needed a personal break. This crap has taken a toll. 25+ hours on the phone this week with Anthem and Acreedo. (8 hours on Friday alone.

The details of lies upon lies from Acreedo are too much for me to repeat.

The stupidity of Anthem to believe them sends shivers up my spine.

Here is a quote from Barbara M. (no last name given) from Anthem:"I would have no problem spending 3-4 hours on the phone every month with a mail order pharmacy if the meds were important to me."

Cannot wait for Medicare.

Thank you David and Betty for asking and to everyone who PM'd me. It meant allot.

PS- watl: I would prefer you do not respond. If you want to share your views about the compassion shown by the teaparty I suggest you share them in the off topic forum.

m.

edited...Oh and yes I got my insurance card. It had the wrong code printed on it to fill my other prescriptions at CVS. 2 1/2 hours on hold before I was able to talk with anyone at Anthem for a replacement. A comedy of errors.

You were the first to make the stupid remark about Republicans in this thread.

Really??

Mitch specifically requested you to not respond, but you couldn't help yourself could you? Instead of trying to flame this thread, perhaps you should simply bow out. Support doesn't seem to be a strong suit of yours, so leave this be. You've offered him nothing in this thread, so stop.

Mitch specifically requested you to not respond, but you couldn't help yourself could you? Instead of trying to flame this thread, perhaps you should simply bow out. Support doesn't seem to be a strong suit of yours, so leave this be. You've offered him nothing in this thread, so stop.

M

Watl, I totally agree with Mike. This is a support forum and your idea of support just doesn't cut it.

Mitch politely requested that you stay out of his thread and as Mike said, you just couldn't help yourself, could you. I'm giving you a warning over this, and watching you for a week. If you chose to respond further in this thread, you'll be getting a time out.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Here is a quote from Barbara M. (no last name given) from Anthem:"I would have no problem spending 3-4 hours on the phone every month with a mail order pharmacy if the meds were important to me."

Unbefuckinglievable. Easy for her to say when she's not going through what you're going through. People who say dismissive things like that usually complain the loudest when something goes wrong for them.

Stay strong mate. Don't let the bastards grind you down. I've been thinking of you and sending good vibes your way. It will be a happy day when this gets sorted out and you don't have to jump through hoops like a freaking poodle to get your meds. It's cruelty, plain and simple and should be illegal. Wait, it IS illegal in your state.

At the risk of sounding repetitive, UNBEFUCKINGLIEVABLE!!!!!

Do I smell a lawsuit? Could you (or someone on your behalf) get in touch with Lambda Legal? I bet they'd be very interested in a case where an hiv positive person was illegally being forced to deal with an uncooperative mail-order pharmacy in order - at the risk of sounding dramatic (although true!) - to stay alive. You deserve some compensation for the hell they're putting you through.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Put me in timeout as I don't exactly follow the warning. If anyone made an offensive comment it was Mitch's about republicans. I suppose you missed that or those kind of offensive comments are allowed here. If you had bothered to read the comments I had made you'd have seen they were legitimate and respectful counterpoints to his about the affordable care act. I then told him I was rooting for him. But you missed those comments as well. Instead you choose to abuse your authority and censure me for saying a great deal less than the the much more heated comments being posted as we speak in another thread on disclosure.

@ Mike- Thanks. In hindsight it would have been better of me to have not mentioned him in my last post. Still trying to heal from the abuse and cruelty of the system and my head got the best of me.

@ Ann- Thanks for repeating the swear words. Made my day! I am hoping to hear back in about a week from the state insurance commissioners office about my complaint. The law seems rather straight forward.

Sec. 38a-510. Prescription drug coverage. Mail order pharmacies. (a) No health insurance policy issued on an individual basis, whether issued by an insurance company, a hospital service corporation, a medical service corporation or a health care center, which provides coverage for prescription drugs may require any person covered under such policy to obtain prescription drugs from a mail order pharmacy as a condition of obtaining benefits for such drugs.

If there is a loophole somewhere, shame on the lawmakers. Keeping my fingers crossed as I am terrified of going through this on a monthly basis with Acreedo.

My best wishes to those who live in other states that have no laws to protect you.

@ Greg- Thank you. I did bring up the politics first. It was not meant to do anything other than to point out how private companies were not prepared any better than the government with this major sea change in our healthcare system. I just get so tired of hearing how it's all Obama's fault and was trying to express my trials and tribulations during this time of transition.

OK. Kenny came home with the news that we got a letter from Anthem. (must have been from Saturday)

They are expecting us to pay Januarys bill from our policy that we let lapse because they didn't get a 31 days notice of cancelation. lol. I bet it was in the "contract". Wonder how many millions of people got the same letter?

Ignore or file a complaint with the insurance commissioner?

Or are we screwed? Funny, we signed up for the new ACA plan in mid November and didn't receive a bill from them until mid December.

I am so sorry you have to endure this crap and I think you should go on a major offensive and enlist the help of everyone. Not only would I be working with the Insurance Commission, I would also contact my Congressperson and seek their assistance, as hey have an ombudsman to deal with such issues. I'd even go further and look for a lawyer to sue the pants off Anthem, under contact law and for emotional and physical duress, caused by their callous actions.

I know this is making you crazy, been there, done that, however, at some point enough is enough and at a minimum, I would expect Anthem to forget about billing you anymore for insurance benefits they did not provide.

Thanks everyone. I've been beaten to a pulp over all of this but I never will give up the fight. I seriously doubt that a lawsuit will be needed but I fully intend to tell my story here to tell the tales of the unconscionable behavior involved by these ruthless money grubbing companies.

Nobody should go through this mess.

I honestly don't know what is ahead as far as fighting this BS. Maybe it will all wind down peacefully but after the past few months...

In the mean time I need to get my own balance back in order. Can't let them win by default. Greedy heartless bastards.

Oh, today Kenny and I got new insurance cards from Anthem for a plan that we never signed up for and I got another automated call from Acreedo to say they are working on my order.

You all have missed so many laughable details along the way because I simply didn't have the energy.

Again, I strongly suggest that you or Kenny get in touch with Lamda Legal (see the link I provided a few posts up ^^). Keep in mind they do a lot of pro bono work. If you don't ask, you don't get.

These insurance companies only respond to monetary threats such as the ones provided through class action suits. There's a good chance that Lamda Legal has heard from other poz folks going through similar bullshit and they may be able to add your case to the list. Or who knows, maybe your case will start that list. I wouldn't think you're the only one being treated so shabbily by these jokers.

And you still don't have your meds? UNBEFUCKINGLIEVABLE!!!

Hang in there Mitch, and please consider getting in touch with Lamda. I'm rooting for you.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts